The Budget is “anti woman” says Inishowen mother
Maternity leave is a precious time that should not be spent worrying
An Inishowen mother has reacted angrily to the news that maternity benefit payments are set to be slashed in Budget 2014, calling it “anti women”.
On Monday, Minister Noonan announced that the maternity benefit is to be standardised, cutting it from the higher payment of €262 to €230 a week. However this is not the first cut that new mums have faced in recent years. In last year’s budget the Government made the decision to tax maternity pay up to 41%, when it previously had been a tax free break.
Carn woman Helen Nolan, chairperson from Spraoi agus Sport, which hosts mother and toddler and breastfeeding groups on a weekly basis, said she feels the cuts to the maternity benefit will encourage working mums back to work too early.
She said the Budget is “anti women and anti families”. She feels the Government should be doing everything they can to support new mothers.
“ I feel that the reduction in the maternity benefit is anti-women and anti-family and will result in many women going back to work earlier than they would like,” said the Spraoi agus Sport volunteer.
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